A study published in Headache (2006;46(10):1492–1502) compared acupuncture with standard drug therapy for preventing migraine headaches. The trial included 114 adults with a documented history of migraines.
Before treatment began, participants kept a four-week headache diary to establish a baseline. They were then randomly assigned to one of two groups for 12 weeks:
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Acupuncture group: Received 8–15 acupuncture treatments
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Medication group: Received metoprolol, a commonly prescribed migraine-prevention drug
Dropout Rates
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Only 2 participants in the acupuncture group withdrew
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18 participants in the medication group withdrew (some due to drug side effects; one reported worsening headaches)
Study Findings
After 12 weeks:
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61% of acupuncture patients experienced 50% or fewer migraine attacks
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49% of medication patients saw the same level of improvement
Follow-Up Assessments
At 12-week follow-up (24 weeks from baseline):
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70% of acupuncture patients rated their condition as “good” or “very good”
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Only 49% of medication patients reported similar improvement
At 24-week follow-up (36 weeks from baseline):
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56% of acupuncture patients still rated their condition as “good” or “very good”
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Only 26% of the medication group reported the same
Conclusion
In this study, acupuncture performed as well as or better than metoprolol for migraine prevention, with fewer dropouts, fewer side effects, and a higher percentage of long-term improvement.
Educational only — not medical advice.
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Laser Acupuncture Can Stimulate the Brain
Acupuncture Creates Changes in the Brain
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How Acupuncture Brain Imaging Studies Reveal Pain and Mood Benefits
